Directors: Associate Professors Victoria Morse and William North
Medieval and Renaissance Studies Concentration (MRST)
The Medieval and Renaissance Studies Concentration encourages students interested in the cultures and kingdoms that flourished from Late Antiquity through the Renaissance to deepen their understanding of these periods through an interdisciplinary program of study. Heirs to ancient empires, the societies of Europe, Byzantium, and the Muslim world each offer fascinating opportunities to watch societies cope with timeless problems of power, identity, and belief. The concentration is open to students in ANY major who wish to expand their knowledge of this important and fascinating period of human history.
A total of 42 credits (usually 7 courses) is required for the concentration: 18 credits in "Core" courses, 18 credits in "Supporting" courses; and a capstone seminar. In addition to the seminars listed below, students may count--with prior approval of both the course instructor and the concentration coordinators--other advanced seminars in which the concentrator’s research focuses on a topic within the period covered by the concentration
Optional Off-Campus Programs: Off-campus study can be an important part of the concentration. Students interested in study abroad as part of the concentration are advised to consult with their academic advisers in deciding when to go off-campus and with the concentration coordinators to discuss the range of programs available and potential programs of study. Courses taken abroad may count for up to two "core" courses (12 credits) and two "supporting courses" (12 credits).
Requirements for the Concentration
Core Courses (3 courses/18 credits required):
ARBC 185 The Creation of Classical Arabic Literature
ARCN 246 Archaeological Methodology (not offered in 2011-2012)
ARCN 395 Archaeology Capstone Seminar
ARTH 101 Introduction to Art History I
ARTH 102 Introduction to Art History II
ARTH 155 Islamic Art and Architecture (not offered in 2011-2012)
ARTH 234 Italian Renaissance Art (not offered in 2011-2012)
ENGL 114 Introduction to Medieval Narrative
ENGL 201 Chaucer I: The Canterbury Tales (not offered in 2011-2012)
ENGL 210 From Chaucer to Milton: Early English Literature
ENGL 216 Milton
ENGL 244 Shakespeare I
ENGL 285 The Arts of Power: Poetry, Painting, and Propaganda at the English Court (1509-1685) (not offered in 2011-2012)
ENGL 301 The Courtly Chaucer (not offered in 2011-2012)
ENGL 309 Renaissance Selves (not offered in 2011-2012)
ENGL 310 Shakespeare II
ENGL 395 Medieval Other Worlds
FREN 351 Love, War and Monsters in Early Modern France
GERM 230 From Gutenberg to Gates: The History and Practice of Printing (not offered in 2011-2012)
GERM 231 Damsels, Dwarfs, and Dragons: Medieval German Literature (not offered in 2011-2012)
HIST 131 Saints, Sinners, and Philosophers in Late Antiquity
HIST 137 Before Europe: The Early Medieval World, 250-c. 1050 (not offered in 2011-2012)
HIST 138 The Making of Europe (not offered in 2011-2012)
HIST 139 Foundations of Modern Europe (not offered in 2011-2012)
HIST 204 Crusade, Contact and Exchange in the Medieval Mediterranean (not offered in 2011-2012)
HIST 230 Institutional Structure and Culture in the Middle Ages (not offered in 2011-2012)
HIST 232 Renaissance Worlds in France and Italy
HIST 233 Cultures of Empire: Byzantium, 710-1453
HIST 236 Women's Lives in Pre-Modern Europe (not offered in 2011-2012)
HIST 243 The Peasants are Revolting! Society and Politics in the Making of Modern France (not offered in 2011-2012)
HIST 278 Religious Orthodoxy and Deviance in New Spain (not offered in 2011-2012)
HIST 330 Gender, Ethics and Power in Medieval France (not offered in 2011-2012)
LATN 243 Medieval Latin (not offered in 2011-2012)
MUSC 210 Medieval and Renaissance Music (not offered in 2011-2012)
RELG 122 Muhammad and the Qur'an: An Introduction to Islam
RELG 163 The Qurán (not offered in 2011-2012)
RELG 231 From Luther to Kierkegaard (not offered in 2011-2012)
RELG 263 Sufism (not offered in 2011-2012)
SPAN 330 The Invention of the Modern Novel: Cervantes' Don Quijote (not offered in 2011-2012)
SPAN 331 Baroque Desires (not offered in 2011-2012)
Supporting Courses (18 credits required):
Note: all courses listed as "core courses" also qualify as "supporting courses."
ARBC 185 The Creation of Classical Arabic Literature
ARBC 215 Readings in Medieval Arabic Anthologies (not offered in 2011-2012)
ARCN 246 Archaeological Methodology (not offered in 2011-2012)
ARCN 395 Archaeology Capstone Seminar
ARTH 101 Introduction to Art History I
ARTH 102 Introduction to Art History II
ARTH 155 Islamic Art and Architecture (not offered in 2011-2012)
ARTH 170 Printmaking: The First Media Revolution (not offered in 2011-2012)
ARTH 233 Van Eyck, Bosch, Bruegel: Their Visual Culture
ARTH 234 Italian Renaissance Art (not offered in 2011-2012)
ARTH 238 Rembrandt, Vermeer and Netherlandish Art
ARTH 251 Ruins and Romantics: English Gothic and Gothic-Revival Art and Architecture (not offered in 2011-2012)
ARTH 351 English Art and Architecture on Site (not offered in 2011-2012)
ENGL 114 Introduction to Medieval Narrative
ENGL 201 Chaucer I: The Canterbury Tales (not offered in 2011-2012)
ENGL 210 From Chaucer to Milton: Early English Literature
ENGL 213 Christopher Marlowe
ENGL 214 Revenge Tragedy
ENGL 244 Shakespeare I
ENGL 285 The Arts of Power: Poetry, Painting, and Propaganda at the English Court (1509-1685) (not offered in 2011-2012)
ENGL 309 Renaissance Selves (not offered in 2011-2012)
ENGL 310 Shakespeare II
ENGL 395 Medieval Other Worlds
FREN 351 Love, War and Monsters in Early Modern France
GERM 230 From Gutenberg to Gates: The History and Practice of Printing (not offered in 2011-2012)
GERM 231 Damsels, Dwarfs, and Dragons: Medieval German Literature (not offered in 2011-2012)
HIST 131 Saints, Sinners, and Philosophers in Late Antiquity
HIST 137 Before Europe: The Early Medieval World, 250-c. 1050 (not offered in 2011-2012)
HIST 138 The Making of Europe (not offered in 2011-2012)
HIST 139 Foundations of Modern Europe (not offered in 2011-2012)
HIST 202 Iconoclasm in the Early Middle Ages
HIST 203 Papacy, Church and Empire in the Age of Reform
HIST 204 Crusade, Contact and Exchange in the Medieval Mediterranean (not offered in 2011-2012)
HIST 230 Institutional Structure and Culture in the Middle Ages (not offered in 2011-2012)
HIST 232 Renaissance Worlds in France and Italy
HIST 236 Women's Lives in Pre-Modern Europe (not offered in 2011-2012)
HIST 239 Britain, c. 1485-1834: From Sceptred Isle to Satanic Mills (not offered in 2011-2012)
HIST 243 The Peasants are Revolting! Society and Politics in the Making of Modern France (not offered in 2011-2012)
HIST 245 Ireland: The Origin of the Troubles
HIST 268 The Indian Ocean World in the Age of European Expansion
HIST 330 Gender, Ethics and Power in Medieval France (not offered in 2011-2012)
LATN 243 Medieval Latin (not offered in 2011-2012)
LATN 253 Seneca the Younger
MUSC 210 Medieval and Renaissance Music (not offered in 2011-2012)
PHIL 270 Ancient Greek Philosophy: Knowledge and Skepticism
POSC 250 Ancient Political Philosophy (not offered in 2011-2012)
POSC 254 Freedom, Excellence, Happiness: Aristotle's Ethics (not offered in 2011-2012)
RELG 122 Muhammad and the Qur'an: An Introduction to Islam
RELG 163 The Qurán (not offered in 2011-2012)
RELG 231 From Luther to Kierkegaard (not offered in 2011-2012)
RELG 263 Sufism (not offered in 2011-2012)
RELG 287 Many Marys
SPAN 330 The Invention of the Modern Novel: Cervantes' Don Quijote (not offered in 2011-2012)
SPAN 331 Baroque Desires (not offered in 2011-2012)
Capstone Seminars
(one course required):
ARCN 395 Archaeology Capstone Seminar
ENGL 309 Renaissance Selves (not offered in 2011-2012)
ENGL 395 Medieval Other Worlds
FREN 351 Love, War and Monsters in Early Modern France
HIST 330 Gender, Ethics and Power in Medieval France (not offered in 2011-2012)